Usual Disclaimer to all things RH

Sorry for the major delay in updates! I needed to add a little more to the plot. If anyone heard something crash and burn, that would have been my last chapter. Happy Holidays everyone (during which I got the Robin hood seasons. Yay for me!) Enjoy!

Marian forced herself to concentrate on putting one foot infront of the other and how she was going to get her father out of the castle. However, each plan that she came up with held too much risk, or was just not possible. Perspiration formed on her forehead and she stopped to lean against the tree. She sighed with frustration. She had always been independant and was used to doing things herself, but never had she felt so alone. Well, sitting here and crying about it won't get you anywhere, she thought, looking up to the sky, half expecting some divine intervention. She took a few steps away from the tree.

Suddenly the ground fell from underneath her.

It all happened so fast, that when Marian opened her eyes (she didn't even realize that she had closed them) she found herself lying flat on her back in a hole that was at least ten feet deep and six feet across. Large tree roots were partially exposed around her and it took a moment for her to realize that her back was wet for she was sitting in a pile of mud. She moaned in exasperation as she sat up.

"Great, just great." she muttered, trying to wipe the splatters of dark brown mud off of her face, but it only made it worse. Marian quickly stood up and tried to look for a way to get out. She tried to grab some of the roots to climb out, but they were too high up to grab and not to mention slick with mud. Clenching her fists and teeth, she was about to scream when an amused voice came from behind her.

"Now what do we have here?"

Marian turned around to find none other that Robin Hood standing above her, hands on his hips and that infuraiting smile on his lips. She gave him her best death glare but he only laughed.

"This is just priceless." he said, in between his outbursts

"I'm glad I could entertain you." She told him sarcastically.

Robin laughed again, "No, this goes far beyond entertainment. I think I've heard it called karma is some foreign countries."

Marian raised her eyebrows, "What's that?"

"It's this whole idea that if someone does something bad to someone else, then something bad will happen to them."

"Very charming." she said, obviously not amused, "Now, could you please get me out of here?"

Robin shrugged, "I don't know. I mean, how do I know that you aren't going to run off to the Sheriff?"

Marian's mouth dropped open to form an 'O', but she quickly shut it. "That was low and you know it." she said evenly.

"Betraying me was low and you knew it, so why should that stop me?" all humour was gone from his voice.

Heat and anger rose to Marian's cheeks. Not thinking, she picked up a clump of mud and threw it right at Robin's face. For a second, Robin looked like a deer caught unawares, but he quickly dodged out of the way. "Hey!" he yelled, but Marian only picked up another clump of mud. She would have hit him this time, but he lost his balance from dodging the previous projectile and also tumbled rather ungracefully into the pit.

"Fabulous." Marian said sarcastically.

Robin shrugged, "Don't look at me, I wasn't the one who got stuck down here in the first place."

"Grow up."

"Says the one who threw mud at me." he smirked.

Marian's response was another handful of mud which managed to land on his cheek. Robin shook his head.

"You shouldn't have done that." Robin said with a warning tone in his voice.

"Why no-" but before she could finish, Robin had also fired dirt at her face. Slowly Marian scraped the mud off of her chin. "You will pay for this Robin of Lockesly." she said.

"Is that a challenge?"

"A statement."

After that it became a battle of wits and sophisticated battle. Alright, it was just a plain old mud fight with the two of them chasing each other around the pit. Pieces of earth went flying back and forth until finally they ended up covered in mud and laughing uncontrollably. Marian took one look at Robin and stifled a giggle.

"What?" Robin said annoyedly.

"You should look at yourself." she said with a grin, gesturing to Robin's mud covered self.

Robin smiled weakly, " I don't think you're one to talk." Marian looked down at her mud splattered dress.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"Well, the gang will probably realize that we are gone and come looking. It shouldn't be long."

"You have alot of faith in them." Marian observed

"Why shouldn't I?" Robin countered, "They've done nothing to betray that trust." they held each other's gazes for a few minutes until Marian looked away, looking as ashamed as she felt.

"Why were you so far from the camp anyways?" he asked, changing the subject so as to not put salt on any wounds.

Marian still didn't look at him. "I was on my way to help my father. I couldn't just leave him to die."

"Alone?"

"As you see." she said stiffly.

"Well." he said, "There's no need for that now."

Marian looked at him quizzically. "Why not?"

Robin shruuged, "Cause I already got him out of the castle."

"You what?"

"YOUR FATHER-"

"I heard you!" Marian said fiercely, "I'm just surprised." She finally looked him in the eyes. "Thankyou for doing this for me Robin." her voice was genuinely grateful.

"I did it for Edward." Robin said firmly. "It had nothing to do with you."

An awkward silence descended upon them. Only the sound of approaching hooves broke it.

"Shhh." Robin hushed

"I wasn't talking." Marian whispered.

Robin rolled his eyes, "I know just don't talk now." They waited as the sounds grew closer.

" My lord, There's a pit here. It will be difficult to go around it with the cart." a voice called. Marian and Robin couldn't tell who it was.

"Clear some of the trees on the side, then there should be enough room." The second voice was unmistakable.

It was Guy of Gisborne.

There you go! Please Review!